The Creation of the Draig'hedinn
by Dovahsdottir
Summary: This is a brief introduction to a species I am creating that comes from the Witcher world. I wanted to create a species that my fursona would be/is. And since I love the Witcher world and it's lore, and furries, I decided to blend the two. MandraBella is my werewolf/dragon fursona, and this is how she and The Six were created. I may decide to write stories about her, but not sure!
1. Chapter 1

Journal, Siger Airemet  
Cave near ruins of Kaer Morhen

Our ancient colleagues who created the Witchers brought into this world a mutant that was needed. The cost to those who underwent the mutations was...well, severe would be putting it lightly. Horrific. Yes. Horror was in the eyes and faces of the boys they changed into Witchers. And those boys who lived would grow into men bred and trained to fight monsters. Those who didn't died in unspeakable agony, as detailed in the yellowed letters and books we found in this old laboratory.

So what could I and my fellow mages do in order to meet the needs of today? What is needed, I hear you ask? Soldiers. The cost in human lives to wage war has become far too high. So they, our kings and rulers, have charged us with creating mutated soldiers. They are demanding a product that is damage resistant and capable of rapid healing. This way no medics or mages would be needed to keep them alive on the battlefield.

And we succeeded. Like the creation of the Witchers, the cost was high. I shall simply say this, the orphans of war-torn Velen and Skellige were given...purpose. The cost of progress. History will judge us heroes. Because in the future, human lives will be saved by the creation of these living weapons.

For the sake of history, then, I shall commit now to writing the ingredients needed to make what we have named The Draig'hedinn. I am calling this formula, "The Decoctions of the Dragon". A bit pretentious, I grant you. After all, no true dragons' organic material is used. But this historic creation deserves a worthy name. But I digress. Each of the six draconids known in our world can be used, with varying results in the finished product depending on which draconid is chosen. The six we have created each stem from one of these draconids. And as luck, or perhaps the will of the gods, would have it three males and three females survived. Our next course of action is to test for fertility.

The Decoctions of the Dragon  
\- Any draconid spinal fluid  
(Cockatrice, Forktail, Slyzard, Wyvern, Basilisk, Matriarch)  
\- Any werewolf heart  
(Continental, Ulfhedinn)  
\- Any endrega poison gland  
(Drones, Warriors, Workers)  
\- Mardroeme  
\- Belladonna  
\- Mandrake

A Draig'hedinn is best created starting with a human or elven subject. We tried using dwarves; but after two of them exploded after the first injections, we decided that something in the dwarven genetic makeup was simply too weak to accept the constituents. The first transformation to take place is similar to that of werewolves. The subjects' body twists and contorts, changing into the long-legged, muzzled and furred beasts of legend. The shackles on the tables left behind by the Witchers had to be modified with silver to keep them under control. After several hours, the second change happens. Two six inch slits appear on their backs, beneath the shoulder blades, parallel to the spine. And a bulge begins to form at the base of their spine. Then a noxious smelling fluid drips from them, forming a disgusting blister-like sac that bubbles and seems to burn them. Narcotics are needed to keep them from expiring from the pain. A few hours after this, the blisters burst open and their wings and a tail unfurl, sticky and wet with puss and blood. This seems to be the most agonizing part of the transformation, as several previous subjects expired during this stage. We now heavily sedate them once the wings begin to appear and administer an immediate transfusion of blood to keep them alive. It is at this stage that we realized their blood had become acidic and poisonous, as well as their saliva. Once past this part, the healing begins. The plant elements are administered while they sleep. During this stage their fur grows thicker and they will start to show the unique features of their draconid aspects. Some have leathery wings and tails, while others have feathers. Some have a wolf-like snout while others more reptilian. Some have paws for feet and hen-like claws. However, with each of the subjects, the wings are useless. True flight is not possible as they are too stunted. That said, short glides are possible and they can flap and fold them without trouble. A few have wolf-like tails while others have club-like tails like endrega warriors.

The Six, as we have taken to calling the originals, seemed to have no recollection of having ever been anything other than what they are. When they awakened, like newborns they turned to us with the expected behavior of being hungry. We had bred them to be soldiers but, honestly none of us had the heart to refuse them food, drink and a good bath.

The kings will have to wait. Fearsome as the Draig'hedinn may look, fearsome is not at all what they project. Most days we find them playing games of hide n seek with one another, picking wildflowers in the mountain meadows, or visiting the rock troll that lives in the cave by the lake. Do we have the heart to take the joy of life from them, and make them into war machines? We shall see.

PS:

One of them just came to me, a female we call Number Three, and left a bouquet of belladonna flowers and a nicely polished river rock. Three has feathered and furred wings and wolfish back paws, and an interesting feathered pattern at the base of her spine that reminds me of a mandrake plant. I shall call her MandraBella.

MandraBella

Number Three of the Draig'hedinn originals, Female

Genetic makeup: Human, Forktail, Ulfhedinn, Endrega Worker


	2. Chapter 2

The emperor of Vizima stood with hands clasped behind his back, and dark eyes staring in disbelief and disappointment at the creatures before him. The Draig'hedinn, all six of them, were playing tag with one another around the courtyard under the watchful gaze of the six mages who were their collective creators. Archmage Siger Airemet, the one charged by Emreis himself to create them, stood silently beside the ruler of the empire.

"You've brought me children." Emhyr said softly, but in a voice that was as cold as ice. "I asked you for super soldiers; battle-ready warriors. And you bring me this? Explain yourself."

Siger opened his hands in a placating manner.

"I did say, Your Grace, in my letters that it was too soon. As you can see, they came out of the transformations with greatly reduced skill sets, and are, as you said, very child-like in their mannerisms. But…"

"These were elves and humans subjected to the experiments, yes?" Emreis demanded.

"Indeed, my lord, three of each."

"So what caused them to regress to this?"

"We…we do not know, You Grace." Siger said. "As with the creation of Witchers, many things can happen. We are fortunate these six survived out of…well…too many to name."

The emperor watched as number three, also called MandraBella, nibbled playfully on the ear of her draconic sibling and they tumbled over one another, landing with a splash in the fountain.

"Can they be taught to fight? To kill?" Emreis said, turning his dark gaze onto the mage.

"I'm certain that with time they could be. But as you can see, they will require an education first. We are all willing to devote our time to their upbringing and…"

"Upbringing?" Emreis said curtly. "How long?"

"Who can say? The boys made into Witchers were still boys even after their survival of the Trials. The Draig'hedinn seem to have recovered quite quickly, I might add. Perhaps they have accelerated healing abilities like werewolves, which is of course also part of their genetic makeup. It could be one year, five, perhaps eighteen before they are battle ready. We simply…"

"No." the emperor said with a tone that struck dread into Siger's heart. "We don't have that long. I needed them ready now. Destroy them."

The five other mages, who had been listening, all felt their hearts skip a beat, and they looked to the emperor.

"You…you cannot be serious, Your Grace?" Airemet said, his face nearly white. "The number of lives lost in order to create these six demands that we at least…"

"You demand?" Emreis said darkly, turning to face the mage.

A soft woof drew Siger's attention and he saw female number three watching them, her long floppy ears tilted forward, and her purple eyes concerned. She bent down and picked one of the exotic blue roses growing in the courtyard and walked over. Silently Airemet was trying to tell her with his eyes to stay where she was, but MandraBella did not understand. The emperor's guardsman, dressed in the black Nilfgaardian plate and winged helms, lowered their pikes as the creature approached. In the courtyard, the other five stopped and one in particular, female number one and the biggest of them all called Matriarch, pointed her grey leathery muzzle at Emreis while the others came to her side.

"Yes, thank you, Bel," Siger said quietly, taking the flower.

Siger saw the Matriarch's milky white eyes boring into the emperor, but quickly looked away as to not draw attention to it.

"Bel? You have names for them, do you? You're far too attached to these creatures. I want them all destroyed. Guards! Eliminate the beasts. You mages, you're dismissed. Move away from them."

"Please, Your Grace, no. I beg you. We can train them, just give us the time." Siger pleaded as the guards advanced, his fellow mages looking to him, while the Draig'hedinn stood beside female number one.

The mutants, not having the slightest idea what was being ordered, stood quietly together beside the largest of their number. Although that one, a silvery grey skinned specimen with horns the color of ice and eyes that one would swear were blind, was more intelligent than the rest. And she knew they were in danger. There was a long intake of air, the sound of wind being pulled into nostrils, and Matriarch opened her jaws and let out a long warning screech so piercing and frightening that at least one guard relieved himself on the spot and the others froze. It was enough time.

Siger locked eyes with his second, who pulled from the sleeve of his robe a samum bomb, throwing it at the advancing pikeman. The flash blinded them, while Siger opened a portal and within a few seconds, the mages and the Draig'hedinn vanished in a golden flash of light, leaving Emreis alone with his guards who looked about, stunned. The emperor stared at the spot, and then silently left the courtyard to consider his next move.


End file.
